It's Complicated

Seven

Sivaangi slowly stirred around the straw in her chocolate milkshake, staring at nothing in particular.

"Sivaangi?"

"Hey, Sivaangi? Sivaangi! Kaathu enna kekkalaya?"

She snapped out of her thoughts and saw her friends, Sharanya and Arun, staring at her.

Sharanya sighed.

"Okay seriously, nee inniku vera etho ulagathula irruka."

Arun nodded.

"Exam fail panna kuda inga vanthu milkshake and veg puff avlo santhoshama sappuduve. Enna achu?"

The trio were gathered at Maha Cafe, their hangout spot since their school days. It was a place of comfort and nostalgia, a big part of her carefree life before fame.

"Ippo enna matter nu soldriya, illa na kelumbatuma?" threatened Sharanya.

Sivaangi relented and walked through the series of events that ended with her sobbing in a bathroom.

"Oh my god you blew up at Copper Production representative?!" exclaimed Arun.

She winced.

"I know, I know. It was totally stupid but I had no control of what I was doing."

"Yen di ipdi loosu maari pandra. Now what will they think of you," said Sharanya.

"Theriyala but my manager is super pissed at me. She won't even reply to my calls."

"That poor woman, now she has to clean up your mess. But Sivaangi ethukku ivlo kovam..."

Sharanya paused deliberating her words.

"Ashwin unmalai love pandriya?"

Sivaangi took a deep breath, then nodded hesitantly.

Arun's eyes widened.

"Love ah?! Sathiyama expect pannala."

Sharanya gave him a push.

"Hey nee oru paiyan unnaku la puriyathu. But ennaku long time romba obvious ah irrunthuchu di."

"Ennaku ennoda feelings ippo thaan purinchuju. Avaru en life la, en koodavai irrukunum nu evlo asai patten nu therinjuchu. Crush, or oru handsome boy pakkuratha ku mela antha asai. Athu enga poi yaaru kitta soldrathu nu kooda theriyala."

Sharanya placed a hand over Sivaangi's.

"Unna thappa sola mudiyathu. Love namma control la illa."

"Avaruku ethathu na ennaku thangave mudiyathu. Ashwin long shoots ku poittu seriya sappadala or thoongala na ennaku avlo kavala varum. Avaroda mood swings, teasing, stubbornness, ellam ennaku pudikum. Avara sirriku vacha illa pamper pandrathula ennaku avlo happiness varum. Vera feel athulam."

"Ivlo love na, why don't you just tell him? I get he's committed but how can you hide this much affection?" asked Arun.

"I love him too much to do that. He's happy, really happy. Avara kashta padra maari pandrathu ku ennaku manasu varallai. He will feel bad, he never meant to lead me on or for us to be romantic in any way. He may even distance himself, and feel awkward around me. It's not worth discussing my one-sided feelings."

"But are you really sure it's one sided? Sometimes it seemed like he-"

"Seemed like what? That he respected, admired and took care of me? That's true. But love, he never loved me and he never will."

She had done enough crying that tears failed to form as she spoke out the harsh truth.

Sharanya squeezed her hand.

"If someone had told me two years ago Sivaangi would be able to have such deep, complex feelings I would never believed it. You were always the baby of the group, but you've grown up so fast di. And Ashwin is lucky to have you in his life in any form. Ippo kooda avaru vittu kuduka maatingra."

"Yennoda manasula enna thonutho athaan na epothum panirukken. Anyways, we would have never make sense as a couple, there are too many differences between us. Even if he didn't get a girlfriend it never would have happened."

"Aama, who even is his girlfriend?" asked Arun.

"Kavya Narayanan. Smarter, prettier, older, cooler and basically better than me in every way."

As she talked, she looked around and suddenly felt insecure for sitting in her childhood hangout spot and discussing her pathetic unrequited love. Kavya and her were completely opposite, why would he ever be interested in someone so juvenile.

Arun pulled out his phone and started googling about her.

"Wow, pakrathuku VTV Jessie maari irrukanga!"

He looked up to see the two girls glaring at him.

"Sorry, sorry."

"Kavya's family owns one of the biggest shipping conglomerates in South India. She's super rich."

"Have you ever met her, Sivaangi?"

"No, but she sounds like the perfect fit for him. Two rich, classy good-looking people meant to be. They'll be happy and I'll be left with my memories."

"Hey, ethukku ipdi pesura? If he missed you in his life that's his loss. There's so many boys out there waiting for a chance to talk to you for even a minute."

"Apdiya? Na oruthan kooda pathathillai."

"That's because you are oblivious to all the guys interested in you!"

Sharanya paused, smiling with a glint in her eye.

"You know what the best way to get over a boy is?"

Sivaangi shook her head.

"Replace him with another boy!"

Sivaangi blinked in confusion.

"How about Vihaan, that one singer? he's cute and seems nice."

"Vihaan?! No way, we're just friends."

"For now. But say you guys start hanging out, get closer, then who knows what will happen."

Arun groaned.

"Sharanya, unakku mattum thaan intha maari idea la yosika thonum."

"Listen, I know Ashwin is super hot and dreamy and it's hard to move on. But you have to try."

Sivaangi shook her head.

"Avaru maari yaarum irruka mudiyathu, he's not some item I can just replace. And second this just sounds dumb."

"Okay fine, don't even look at it in a romantic way. Ever since you met Ashwin you've given him the most importance in your life after your family. For anything you go to him first and he is your closest companion. You're so reliant on him, your world spins around him almost. But now he has his own girlfriend, and that will take priority in his life. Don't you want have more people to turn to for support?"

She will have priority in his life.

That stung to hear.

"But I already have lots of friends, I don't get your point."

"Maybe, you are nice to everyone and know a lot of people. But it's not like you talk to them regularly. Almost all are like acquaintances, you need to try and make more real connections. It should help you in the long run, and it'll help you move on."

"You can't force connections, Sharanya. If I click with a person then our relationship will develop naturally. Life isn't meant to be put together like a precise maths formula, it should flow like unrehearsed poetry."

"Sivanangi intha philosophy konjum cut pandriya? Sathiyama mudiyala."

Sivaangi groaned.

"Seri, I'll ask Vihaan if he wants to hangout sometime. Happy?"

What did you guys think Vihaan's character will be like, what will he do 🤔 Please do comment your thoughts on the chapter! :)